/ 



PLAN FOR DEVELOPMENT - OTEC ANCHORS 



As indicated above, the free-fall deadweight anchor embodies areas 

 of new technology. Thus, this anchor type will require: (1) the develop- 

 ment of these new technology areas and (2) a near prototype scale demonstra- 

 tion to ensure contractor acceptance of this new technology. The follow- 

 ing plan for development will accomplish these goals. 



The plan for development addresses only the free-fall deadweight 

 anchor. The pile group anchor, intended for use on very hard seafloors 

 (rock), is not addressed here because the development investment does 

 not appear at this time to be warranted for the OTEC program. 



The plan for development is divided into two phases: (1) technology 

 development using analytical techniques and large scale models and (2) 

 an anchor system demonstration including the construction, transport, 

 emplacement, and service loading of a near-prototype-size anchor. These 

 two program phases are depicted in time in Figure 7. 



Technology Development Phase 



The technology development phase has been divided into the follow- 

 ing three elements: 



(1) Hydrodynamic evaluation of the free-fall anchor . u_ ... 



(2) Description of the soil penetration-deceleration 

 forces history for the anchor 



(3) Development of anchor structural design to withstand 

 construction, transport, free-fall, landing, and 

 service loadings. 



The elements cannot be interchanged as information generated in (1) 

 is required to initiate (2) and so on. 



Hydrodynamic Evaluation . The hydrodynamic evaluation can be 

 separated into two parts: behavior during constant velocity fall and 

 during deceleration upon approaching the seafloor. 



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